Advertisement
Have you or someone you know recently been thinking about getting a new aquarium, and you are interested in learning more about the entire process? Perhaps you have been a fish enthusiast for your entire life, and you are looking to add some new and interesting fish to your collection? Maybe you have always thought it would be nice to own an aquarium, and you are interested in looking into the process of setting one up, and caring for some fish? If any of these things sound like you, then keep reading to learn more. This article will break down some of the most useful and interesting facts about the fish that we keep in our aquariums. Owning some nice fish can be an incredibly enjoyable and rewarding process. If you have never tried caring for an aquarium, then use these tips to get started in the right direction.
Freshwater
The most common type of aquarium that many people like to include in their homes is the freshwater aquarium. This type of aquarium is usually the easiest to set up and the least expensive to maintain in the long run. Freshwater fish can be beautiful and a lot of fun to care for, but many of the exotic fish that you would see in the movies or more elaborate aquariums can not survive in freshwater. Do some research and find some freshwater fish that you think you would like to have in your aquarium, and make sure that you have the right setup to allow them to thrive.
Saltwater
Whenever you see a large aquarium that is full of exotic fish and worthy of being in a Bond villain’s lair, you can probably make a safe guess that it is a saltwater aquarium. Saltwater aquariums can support the largest variety of life since there are so many species that exist in saltwater. The nature of a saltwater mixture means that you will have to get some specialized equipment in order to properly handle all of the logistics and requirements of your fish, plants, and filtration system.
Brackish Water
After having discussed the concept of freshwater and saltwater aquariums and the types of limitations that each has, the time has come to talk about the hybrid water known as brackish water. This type of water can be found in many types of coastlines on the oceans around the world. Areas like Florida are known for the massive brackish water biomes that exist there. If you are interested in learning more about what exactly brackish water is, then you can find a website online that should be able to provide you with specific details. There are many exotic fish breeds that can only survive in a brackish water tank, so be sure to do some thorough research before making any expensive purchases.
Diet
Another thing that you will need to consider when deciding the type of fish you want to keep in your aquarium is the various diets of each species. Some fish can subsist on things like algae, insects, or plants. Other fish can sometimes include smaller fish in their diet, so you will need to be careful about which species you mix. Doing some careful research will ensure that you do not accidentally mix species that might eat one another.
Hygiene
There are some types of fish that you can add to your aquarium tank in order to keep the hygiene level high for plants and fish alike. These types of fish are sometimes known as bottom feeders, and will often eat either waste, parasites, or algae that accumulates in the tank. This can help prolong the time between scheduled tank cleaning, which can sometimes be stressful for the fish in your tank. A few species of plants and fish can help with keeping your tank clean, so check out a few of them online to see which one will work for you.
After reading through some of the different suggestions provided above, the hope is that you have discovered some useful and interesting facts about the fish we keep in our aquariums. Whether you are just a hobbyist, a professional fish collector, or just someone interested in learning, there should be some tips included here that will help you to improve your setup at home. There are endless amounts of different types of fish and plant life that you can add to an aquarium, so be sure to look for something that is unique, rather than settling for a few simple goldfish. Caring for a complex aquarium ecosystem can be difficult at first, but with some practice and good information, you should be able to be successful and have some fun.